FIG. 1 shows a schematic side elevation view of a cash dispenser unit 73 of an ATM. The cash dispenser unit 73 holds a number of currency cassettes 89 each holding a stack of currency notes 68. Each cassette 89 holds only one denomination of currency notes, but different cassettes may contain different denominations. The notes 68 are held in place in the cassette by means of a pusher plate 69 that urges the stack of notes to one end of the cassette. When one or more notes are to be dispensed from a particular cassette, the pick mechanism 74 associated with the cassette draws a note from the cassette such that its leading edge is gripped between drive rollers 90. The note is then fed along the feed path 72 by further drive rollers 92, through a retard mechanism 10 to the stacker wheel assembly 75. In operation, the stacker wheel assembly 75 rotates continuously in a counter-clockwise direction (for the arrangement shown in FIG. 1) and the note is fed into a compartment 81 formed between adjacent tines 78. If more than one note is to be dispensed, each note is fed into a successive compartment 81 as the stacker wheel assembly 75 rotates. Having completed half a rotation, the note is removed from the stacker wheel assembly 75 by fingers 94 of a stripper plate assembly 96 pivotally mounted on a shaft 98. Once removed from the stacker wheel, the note is placed on a belt 100 resting against the stripper plate assembly 96 and any subsequent notes which are to be dispensed simultaneously with the first note are placed on top of the first note to form a bundle 68′. When the required amount of notes (which may be just one note) have been assembled into the bundle 68′, a pair of belts 102 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1) is rotated on a shaft 104 such that the bundle 68′ is trapped between the belts 100, 102. The bundle is then fed between belts 100, 102, 106, 108 through a note exit slot 110 in the housing 1 12 of the cash dispenser unit 73 to a position where the bundle 68′ can be collected by the user of the ATM. If a multiple feeding is detected in the course of stacking the bundle of notes 68′ or one or more of the notes is rejected for any reason, the bundle is not fed to the note exit slot 110. Instead the stripper plate assembly 96 is pivoted into a position as shown by the dashed outline 96′ and the belts 100, 102 are operated in the reverse direction to deposit the bundle 68′ into a reject note container 114 via an opening 116.
In another example of a dispensing unit of an ATM, a shuttle traveling along a track (or path) can be used to receive the notes from the stacker wheel assembly 75 and to move the bundle 68′ so that it can be fed through the note exit slot 110 or alternatively deposited into a reject note container 114 (also referred to as a purge bin). FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a shuttle 200 having an opening 201 to receive notes from the stacker wheel assembly so that the bundle of notes 68′ can be assembled within the shuttle. The shuttle is mounted on two parallel axles 202, 203 and on each side of the shuttle there are two wheels 204, 205. The wheels run in a path or track 303 and the motion of the shuttle 200 can be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 (only wheels on one side of the shuttle and one track are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4). The shuttle receives notes in a home position 300. A mechanical turntable 304 is used to direct the shuttle from the home position along either a first path 305 to the note exit slot or a second path 306 to the purge bin. FIG. 3 shows the turntable 304 in a first position 307 in which the shuttle would be directed along a first length of track 309 on the turntable and on to the first path 305 to the note exit slot. FIG. 4 shows the turntable 304 in a second position 308 in which the shuttle would be directed along a second length of track 310 on the turntable and on to the second path 306 to the purge bin.
The note bundle handling mechanisms described above, i.e. the belt system of FIG. 1 and the shuttle system of FIGS. 2-4, both have a problem that they take up a large amount of space, which results in the overall dispenser 73 being very large.
The invention seeks to provide an improved rotating path switch that can be used to provide a compact note bundle handling mechanism.